Feathering-propeller.



E. M. HARTMAN.

PEATHERING PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1913.

Patented June's, 1914.

2 SHBBTSSHEET 1.

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Wa t mono d H m I and fold on the return stroke of the ELISHA M.HARTMAN, or SOUTH Benn, Iranians.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 9, 1914.

Application filed July 3, 1913. Serial No. 777,325.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, ELISHA M. HARTMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county ofSt. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feathering- Propellers; and 1 do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same. i

' This invention relates to improvements in feathering propellers.

One object of the invention is to provide a feathering propeller for airships, balloons, submarine boats and the like having an improvedconstruction and arrangement of blades which will open on the workingstroke propellers and which when folded will reduce the resistance ofthe blades to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a propeller of this character having animproved means for operating and means for adjusting the same foroperation in different positions.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement ofparts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is aplan view of a portion of theframe of an air ship showing my improved ropellers applied thereto; Fig.2 is a side view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end View of the same; Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of one of the propellers; Fig. 5 is a verticalcross section thereof showingthe blades in open or operative positions;Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the blades folded.

Refer ing more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a portion of theframe of an air ship or the like on which is arranged a series ofbearing brackets 2. Revolubly mounted in the brackets 2 are alinedhorizontally disposed tubular shafts 3 which are held againstlongitudinal movement in the hearingbrackets 2 by collars a which aresecured to the shafts 3 by set screws or other suitable means. Revolublymounted in the tubular shafts 3 is a propeller operating shaft 5 theends of which project beyond the outer ends of the tubular shaft 3 andhave fixed thereon crank arms 6. Rigidly secured to the tubular shafts 3near their outer ends are propellersupporting standards 7 which arefirmly held in position onthe shafts by brace bars ards 7 are pivotallysecured the inner ends of propeller rods or stems 9 which project outwardly from the standards 7 and have hinged to the opposite sides of theouter portions thereof propeller blades 10. Rigadly secured to the outersides of the standards 7 are outwardly projecting right angular disposed guide bars 11 in the outer ends of which are secured guide sleeves12 with which are slidably engaged propeller reciprocatin rods 14, theouter ends of which are pivotally connected with the stems 9 of thepropellers. The inner'ends of the rods 14: have a hinged 0r pivotalconnection with the outer ends of pitman rods 15, the inner ends ofwhich are pivotally connected to the crank arms 6 on the propelleroperating shaft 5. The ends of the pitinan rods 15 are held inengagement with the crank arms- 6 by collars 16 which are secured to thecrank arms- 6 by set screws as shown. By connecting the stems of thepropellers. with the propeller operating shaft 5 as herein shown anddescribed, it will be seen that when the shaft 5 is driven thepropellers will be reciprocated or swung backwardly and forwardly ontheir pivotal connections with the stand ards 7.

The propeller blades 10 may be of any suitable construction butpreferably coniprise a series of cross bars 17 on the inner ends ofwhich are formed hinge members 18 whereby the blades are hingedlyconnected to the stems 9. The body 19 of the blades 10 may be formed ofany suitable material to which the cross bars 17 are riveted orotherwise rigidly secured as shown.

By hingedly connecting the blades 10 to the stems 9, itlwill be seenthat when the stems are swung outwardly by the propeller operatingmechanism in the manner described the resistance offered by the air orwater in which the propellers are used will swing" the blades inwardlyor fold the same to a position wherein they are about 5 apart at theirouter edges. When in this position the blades will present such a smallsurface to the air or water in the direction of the movement of thepropeller that the resist ance will be reduced to a minimum thusrequiring very little power for operating the blades on their returnstroke. On the other hand when the propellers are swung in wardly by theoperating mechanism to pro- 8. To the outer ends of the standpropellingpower extent as to prevent air or water from entering between the samewhen operated on the reverse or working stroke, I provide triangularlyshaped stop blocks 20 which are secured to the lower sides of the stems9 between the cross bars 17 of the blades. In order to limit the openingmovement of the blades on the working --strokes of the propeller .I alsoprovide stop blocks 21 which are secured to the upper sides of the stems9 and are of such construction as to permit the'blades 10 to open toabout 145 to 150. The stop blocks which limit the opening movement ofthe blades are preferably provided with cushioning springs 22 which areengaged by the cross bars and thus prevent the blades from being broughtinto forcible engagement with the blocks when the blades are swungoutwardly to operative positions.

Revolubly mounted in suitable bearings onthe frame 1 of the airship .orthe like, is a main drive shaft 23lhaving on one end a pulley 24 whichis operatively connected withthe motor of the air-ship or with any othersuitablepower for'driving the shaft 23. On the'opposite end of the shaft23 is fixed a beveled gear 25 which is operatively engaged with asimilar gear 26 fixed on the propeller operating shaft 5 between theimiei' ends of the tubular shafts 3 in which said shaft 5 is revolublymounted. By-thus connecting the driving mechanism with the shaft 5 itwill be seen that the latter may be revolved in the proper direction foractuating the blade operating mechanism hereinbefore described.

In order to adjust the position of the pro pellers whereby they may beemployed for raising, lowering or propelling the machine forwardly orrearwardly, I provide a pro peller adjusting mechanism comprising anadjusting shaft 27 which is revolubly mounted in suitable bearings onthe frame 1 and on one end of which is fixed a hand wheel 28. On theopposite end of the shaft 27 is fixed a beveled gear pinion 29 which hasan operative engagement with a beveled gear 30 fixedon a counter shaft31 which is also revolubly mounted in suitable bearings on the frame 1and which has fixed on its ends spur gear pinioits' 32. The pinions 32have an operative engagement with spur gear pinions'33 which are fixedon the tubular shafts 3 as shown. 13y thus connecting the adjustingshaft 27 with the tubular shafts 3 the latter may be turned in eitherdirection and the propeller supporting standards and the propellerscarried thereby swung upwardly, downwardly, forwardly or rearwardly sothat when the blades are operated in the manner described the airship orother device may be raised or lowered in a perpendicular plane orpropelled forwardly or rearwardly as will be readily understood. I norder to hold the propellers in positions to which they have beenadjusted by the adjusting mechanism hereinbefore described,

I provide a locking mechanism for the adjusting shaft 27, said mechanismbeing preferably in the form of pivotally mounted pawls 84 and 35 whichare adapted to be engaged with teeth or notches formed in the shaft 27as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed invention.

Having thus particularly invention, what I claim is:

1. In a propellerof the class described, the combination with a powershaft having a crank, a standard loosely mounted at its inner end onsaid shaft inside its crank, and means for adjusting the position ofthis standard around the shaft; of a stem ivotally connected with theouter end 0 said standard, a pair of foldable blades hingedly connectedwith said stem, and connections between the crank and stem for swingingthe latter aboutits pivotal attachment with the standard whatever theposition of the latter.

2. In 'a propellin mechanism for air ships and the like, t e combinationwith a tubular shaft having at its" outer end a radial standard, a. stempivoted to said standard. and standing normally on a line substantiallyparallel with the axis of said shaft, a pair of blades hingedlyconnected described my with said stem, and a guiding sleeve carried bythe standard; of means for adjusting the 3. In a propelling mechanismfor air ships and the like, the combination with a tubular shaft mountedin bearings, a standard secured to its outer end and projecting radiallyfrom it, an oblique brace connecting said tubular shaft and standard, aguide bar projecting rigidly from said standard on a line parallel withsaid tubular shaft, a sleeve mounted in the outer end of said guide bar,a stem pivoted to the outer end of the standard, and a pair of foldingblades hingedly connected with said stem; of a rod mounted forreciprocation through said sleeve and pivoted atone end to said stem, ashaft rotatably mounted Within the tubular shaft and having a crankbeyond the end of the latter, and a pitman connecting said crank withsaid rod, for the purpose set forth.

4. in a device of the class described, the combination with a basehaving bearings, alined tubular shafts mounted in said bean ings andspaced from each other, standards projecting radially from said shaftsnear their outer ends, stems pivoted to said stand ards, and foldingleaveshingedly mounted on said stems; of a power shaft rotatably mountedthrough said tubular shafts and having cranks at its ends, connectionsbetween said cranks and stems, driving mechanism connected with saidshaft between the ends of the tubular shafts, spur gears on the latter,a counter shaft having spur gears engaging those mentioned, and meansfor manually setting said counter shaft, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a. propeller of the class described the combination with a stem, aseries of single stop blocks projecting therefrom,

pairs of stop blocks projecting upward and downward from said stem andhaving cushions, and means for swinging said stein forward and backward;of .cross bars hingedly mounted on said stem and adapted to strike saidsprings when they are opened or strike said single stop blocks when theyare folded together, and blades carried by said cross bars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ELISHA M. HARTMAN. "Witnesses CHAS. P. DRUMMOND,

Assam l Morass,

